Project Title:

Cumberland Village Square

Project Organization:

Village of Cumberland

Project Investment:

  • Island Coastal Economic Trust: $27,225
  • BC Spirit Square Grant: $54,450
  • In Kind Contributions: $24,775
  • Total Budget: $108,900

Project Highlight:

The Square offers an important space to help enliven Dunsmuir Street and adjacent busineses.The commercial businesses enjoy the further pedestral draw of the Square.

The Village of Cumberland has an attractive and historic downtown area, however, a study identified the need for a central public gathering space to bring the community together and attract more businesses to the area.

An undeveloped Village-owned property, located between the Old Post Office and the famous Cumberland Bakery, provided a perfect location less than two blocks from most of the Village amenities and businesses. The project set out to create a flexible gathering and performance area with paving stones and landscaping features. A raised paved space, with broad, shallow steps, provides an informal stage and seating is readily available on benches, picnic tables, steps and retaining walls. Painted murals on adjacent walls depict the Village’s history and provide a bright, welcoming atmosphere.

Creating an inviting Village Square has encouraged more community events and pedestrian traffic, attracting more new businesses to locate in this historic area. Completed in November 2010, the Square has provided the Village with a key amenity to host cultural and musical performances, public markets and other seasonal events. This helps build a thriving cultural centre for the community and has attracted an increasing number of new residents, professionals and small businesses to the area, particularly those in the 25-40 age demographic.

Island Coastal Economic Trust funded this project on 2010 through the Capital and Innovation program.